The former Leicester City star – who led the Foxes' charge to the title in 2015-16 – repaid Guardiola's faith, providing the assist for Aymeric Laporte to head City in front after Sergio Aguero had cancelled out Glenn Murray's opener, before hammering in a third midway through the second half.

And despite struggling to assert himself as a regular starter, Mahrez insisted he always believed in his own quality.

"It's not easy to come to a team who are settled and have the players who play," he told UK newspaper reporters.

"That squad did everything last season. I knew it wouldn't be easy in my first year but I'm very confident in myself and have no doubts about my quality.

"I knew that, when I had my chance, I'd take it. I scored at Brighton and helped the team."